Texas
updated
4:07 p.m.
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I don't know if BurkaBuddy (that's our new name for him) was trying to be funny or was just reporting the funny... Leo Berman, the strange old man from Tyler who decided last session that the Texas Constitution trumps the FEDERAL Constitution (and he wouldn't change his mind even when CradDICK explained to him that it wasn't the case. And that he was a fucktard), is seriously considering ...
McBlogger - 4:07 p.m.
Man, this sounds like a damn good reason to think about relocating from North Texas. ...
McBlogger - 4:07 p.m.
Yesterday, Matt reported that Chris Bell had filed a lawsuit to remove a last-minute candidate, Stephanie Simmons, who some believe is a Republican stalking horse intended to pull Democratic votes from Bell. Today, the Houston Chronicle's Texas Politics blog is reporting that Austin attorney Roy Minton will represent Simmons in court. Minton has represented politicians from each party i...
Burnt Orange Report - 4:07 p.m.
Unlike Sarah Palin, members of the Brazoria County Democratic Party don’t hang out with secessionists when they don’t get their way. (Surfside Beach is one of the fine communities in this Houston metro area county.) Instead of seeing how they can leave the United States, Brazoria County Democrats stand and fight for Brazoria County, The State of Texas and the [...]...
TexasLiberal - 2:01 p.m.
Here is the most recent Texas Progressive Alliance weekly blog round-up— Is John McCain’s vice presidential pick some kind of joke? McBlogger’s Mayor McSleaze thinks it’s more like a situation comedy. CouldBeTrue is happy for Webb County! Finally, the long sheriff’s primary is over and Martin Cuellar is the official sheriff-to-be. And, yeah, the AG is looking into [...
TexasLiberal - 2:01 p.m.
A few people have taken exception to my decision to skip the race for president and just vote for down-ballot Democrats (although I've talked to quite a few more who agree with me). They don't see the irony in me doing the reverse of what they've been doing once every four years, i.e., voting in just the presidential race and skipping everything else. Here is my reply to one of the commenters wh...
South Texas Chisme - 1:05 p.m. - 2 clicks 
[Eagle Pass Mayor and TBC chair, Chad Foster,] said the Republican platform supports giving border agents the tools and resources they need to protect our sovereignty, to secure the borders and our ports of entry. “We like this approach,” he said. Foster said the Democratic platform supports additional personnel, infrastructure, and technology on the border and at our ports of entry, more Customs...
South Texas Chisme - 1:05 p.m.
Federal agents raided the home and office of Starr County Sheriff Reymundo "Rey" Guerra Thursday, law enforcement officials confirmed. Details of the FBI investigation remain murky and a local official with the agency refused to confirm the search of Guerra who was promoted to office in 1998 after his predecessor pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges. Two in a row?...
South Texas Chisme - 1:05 p.m.
Is the shoot out over? Have the assault weapons been locked up? Is it safe to come outside to play? Wow. After watching Palin's performance last night in which she went to the mats straightaway without wasting a moment, I have to say she did a damned good job at delivering a speech written by one of Rove's minions. You go girl. You are tough indeed and you did what y...
Texas Kaos - 12:22 p.m.
xposted at TPM As much as Bristol Palin's pregnancy has been batted about in the MSM and the blogs, I believe something important has been left out of the discussion. Even John Stewart missed it when chatting with Newt Gingrich; Stewart noted that the press release stated that it was "Bristol's decision to have her baby" -- a choice the McCain/Palin ticket would seek to take away from American w...
Texas Kaos - 12:22 p.m.
When Phil wrote about the new HDCC site some might not have noticed the new ads on the site too. "Smoke Gets in Your Eye" I believe this is the first year the House Democratic Campaign Committee (HDCC) has had produced ads. They are clever, to the point, and draw a perfect contrast between Democrats and Republicans in Texas. I hope they continue to have the resource...
Burnt Orange Report - 9:02 a.m.
You may have noticed some missing R's at the convention. So did the crew at FDL Sebelius nails Palin on her speech from Wednesday night calling her deceptive. "I live in the American heartland, and have been a governor [here] for six years," she said. "I don't know any mayor in any small town in Kansas -- and we have a lot of mayors of small towns -- who hires a lobbyist and goes af...
McBlogger - 8:42 a.m.
Texas has a dozen more executions scheduled in 2008 , including two back to back next Thursday and Friday. The first of those, Gregory Wright, will receive a stay, reports the Dallas News' Crime Blog , to allow DNA testing the defendant hopes will support his actual innocence claims . If there's biological evidence to be tested, I don't know why the courts wouldn't allow it until the 11th hour...
Grits for Breakfast - 8:13 a.m.
by Deborah Martin, San Antonio Express-News The most memorable rehearsal for “Rancho Pancho,” which gets a two-night spin at Jump-Start this weekend, may have been the one with the mescal. “It was some method acting,” joked Benny Briseño, who plays Pancho Rodriguez in the play. The piece, written by San Antonio playwright and former Express-News book editor Gregg Barrios, digs into the t...
Dos Centavos - 8:13 a.m.
The Dallas Morning News says a stay may be on the horizon in the case of Charles Hood after the Texas Attorney General's office said it would file a legal brief today asking that the trial court fully review the matter, even if it means delaying the execution. The Texas attorney general's office on Thursday took the unusual step of joining the defense in saying that death row inmate Charles De...
Texas Moratorium Network - 6:41 a.m. - 3 clicks
The Dallas Morning News Crime Blog is reporting that Greg Wright is going to receive a stay of execution. We haven't confirmed this yet. From the DMN blog: Convicted murderer Gregory Edward Wright and his wife Connie Wright, who he married while on death row, have reason to celebrate today. Supporters who champion his cause on a website, www.freegregwright.com , might also want to break out t...
Texas Moratorium Network - 6:41 a.m. - 2 clicks
Media Advisory For immediate release: Sept 5, 2008 Contact: Scott Cobb 512-689-1544, scottcobb99@gmail.com, www.changethecaucus.org Democrats Who Oppose the "Texas Two Step" to Attend Hearing on Primary/Caucus System at Harlingen Public Library Saturday, September 6 "End the Texas Two Step" Group Seeks Change in Caucus Process Used by Texas Democrats to Allocate Delegates A...
End the Texas Two Step - 2:02 a.m. - 4 clicks
It's been over twenty years since a federal judge has been indicted on criminal charges, and even then the charges usually involved some kind of corruption like bribery. But a Texas judge has changed all that. A few days ago, U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent of Galveston was indicted for sex crimes. He has been charged with Attempted Aggravated Sexual Abuse and two counts of ...
jobsanger - 12:02 a.m. - 2 clicks
Most people probably know by now that John Sidney McCain's choice of a running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, is being investigated by the Alaskan Legislature for ethics violations. She has been accused of trying to pressure the Commissioner of Public Safety into firing a state trooper -- her ex-brother in law. The Commissioner said he was fired by the governor because he wouldn't fire the...
jobsanger - 12:02 a.m. - 4 clicks
"because of the unique nature of the issues in this matter - and to protect the integrity of the Texas legal system - we will ask the court to thoroughly review the defendant's claims before the execution proceeds." Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott sent a letter yesterday informing Collin County DA John Roach that the state supports efforts by the defens...
The Collin County Observer - Thu 11:08 p.m. - 4 clicks
At this morning’s “Power Breakfast” session of the Hutto Economic Development Corporation, Community Impact publisher John Garrett moderated a candidate forum between the Democratic and Republican candidates for Texas House of Representatives, District 52. Democratic candidate Diana Maldonado and Republican candidate Bryan Daniel made their pitch before a crowded room of local Hu...
Eye On Williamson County - Thu 3:21 p.m. - 5 clicks
The Senate Criminal Justice Committee earlier this year held a hearing on causes of law enforcement officer deaths and ways to prevent them, so I was interested to see a discussion in the Dallas News about whether a law enforcement officer who believes a driver is trying to run him over should shoot at the vehicle (" Police policies on shooting at cars differ ," Sept. 4). A criminologist from Sout...
Grits for Breakfast - Thu 2:06 p.m. - 2 clicks
U.S. District Judge Frank Montalvo has denied a request for a preliminary injunction against the construction of the border fence in El Paso County, says County Attorney José Rodríguez. ...
South Texas Chisme - Thu 1:49 p.m. - 4 clicks
Newsweek's Andrew Romano summed it up pretty good ( "Palin from 35,000 Feet" ): ...The pick presents Democrats with a knotty challenge: how do you argue that a fresh, groundbreaking Washington outsider is too inexperienced to be second fiddle while at the same time arguing that Obama--a fresh, groundbreaking Washington outsider himself--is ready to lead the free world? The truth is, no one vote...
South Texas Chisme - Thu 1:49 p.m. - 7 clicks
Yesterday, Texans for Public Justice filed a complaint with Travis County Attorney David Escamilla urging the prosecutor to determine whether Lt. Governor David Dewhurst violated state disclosure laws by failing to publicly disclose assets held in the David Dewhurst Trust. "The Dewhurst Trust is blind to the public but not to the Lt. Governor," said Craig McDonald, director of Texans for Public ...
Burnt Orange Report - Thu 1:11 p.m. - 4 clicks
A few days ago, Charles Kuffner wrote about Senate District 17 saying simply, "the line up is set". In the story he mentioned how Republican's had found another faux Democrat to try and peel off just enough of votes from Chris Bell. Her name is Stephanie E. Simmons. And after filing, the Houston Chronicle was unable to even talk to her about her candidacy. Kuffner goes on to admit he mig...
Burnt Orange Report - Thu 1:11 p.m. - 7 clicks
Carl Icahn, while a largely self-important douche, has been a tremendous advocate for shareholders vs. management especially on the subject of takeovers and management's attempts to avoid/enrich themselves from them. This entry on his blog is really very good... Marty Lipton, the prominent Wachtell Lipton lawyer whom I have sparred with on numerous occasions, is no stranger to hyperbole abo...
McBlogger - Thu 12:08 p.m. - 6 clicks
It's time for another weekly roundup of the Texas Progressive Alliance . Click on for the week's highlights. Is John McCain's vice presidential pick some kind of joke? McBlogger's Mayor McSleaze thinks it's more like a situation comedy. CouldBeTrue is happy for Webb County! Finally, the long sheriff's primary is over and Martin Cuellar is the official sheriff-to-be. And, yeah,...
McBlogger - Thu 12:08 p.m. - 7 clicks
Robles-Scroggs Paul Robles and John Scroggs of College Station, Texas, were married on Tuesday, August 26, 2008, in a small ceremony in the city courthouse located in San Francisco, California. The ceremony was officiated by Dr. James Rosenheim of Bryan, Texas, and witnessed by Ms. Ginny Lowe of Loveland, Colorado. Both Mr. Robles and Mr. Scroggs have lived in the Bryan/College Statio...
Texas Kaos - Thu 8:53 a.m. - 10 clicks
On Sept 10, the state of Texas is scheduled to execute Charles Dean Hood despite the fact that his trial judge and the DA who prosecuted him were having an affair at the time of Hood's trial. Click here to urge Governor Perry to stop the execution of Charles Hood. Hood's lawyers say:Today, a letter from 22 former federal and state judges and prosecutors from Texas and across the country was de...
Texas Kaos - Thu 8:32 a.m. - 10 clicks
This from the Dallas News: And here is a great reply: We will once again be the laughing stock of the world if these people are elected. I think it's great McCain chose a female-I just wish he would have chosen one that's qualified. He has insulted women with his choice. "To achieve your best, get in over your head and rise to the top." - Dr. Richard Tapia Professor of Computational Mathemati...
Texas Kaos - Thu 7:44 a.m. - 8 clicks
Sherrie Matula is running as the Democratic Candidate for TX-HD 129. Sherrie has an education background and will be a great leader in the Texas Ledge. Annie's List has endorsed Sherrie and is doing a match on contributions of 10 thousand dollars in 10 days. Here is the email I received: Annie's List Endorsement Brings a 10-Day, $10K Double Your Dollars Opportunity! We ar...
Texas Kaos - Thu 7:44 a.m. - 6 clicks
Security personnel in charge of screening vehicles at the Galveston-Bolivar ferry landing are under investigation after they overlooked a propane tank and cans filled with gasoline in the back seat of a pickup. PR doesn't real help much in the real world....
South Texas Chisme - Thu 5:50 a.m. - 10 clicks
State law requires that the county budget and tax rate be set according to a strict calendar. In the process of approving the budget, the commissioners court was required to hold 2 public hearings allowing the taxpayers an opportunity to let their elected commissioners know their feelings on the issues. For the last several years, Collin County has held the first public hearing in the commissione...
The Collin County Observer - Thu 12:47 a.m. - 9 clicks
Today, the top notch criminal justice blog, Grits for Breakfast posted an excellent article on Judge Dry's decision to recuse himself from the civil suit by convicted killer Charles Dean Hood against former Collin County Verla Sue Holland and retired Collin county DA Thomas O’Connell. Bill Here is Grits post: Former judges and prosecutors: Investigate official misconduct before executing Charl...
The Collin County Observer - Thu 12:47 a.m. - 7 clicks
The Fightin' Kingwood Area Democrats had a packed house last night with about 50 Dems and a couple of disgruntled (and anti-Palin) Republicans in attendance. KAD welcomed special guest speaker Kathy Miller , president of the Texas Freedom Network. Miller spoke about TFN, as well as the importance of electing candidates that support the TFN pro-science platform. Of particular import...
Dos Centavos - Wed 10:26 p.m. - 10 clicks
There are questions about the patriotic loyalty of Sarah Palin and her husband Todd Palin. Both attended meetings of the secessionist Alaskan Independence Party. Mr. Palin was a member for a number of years. Governor Palin may or may not have been a member. She claims she was not. In any case, Governor Palin addressed the party [...]...
TexasLiberal - Wed 10:02 p.m. - 9 clicks
Can someone please explain to me how any voter could be undecided at this point? I suppose I could understand if someone is rethinking a long-standing political identity. That does happen. I’m sure it is a change that requires thought and soul-searching. But the differences between the two parties are so stark, and have been for such a long time now, [...]...
TexasLiberal - Wed 10:02 p.m. - 12 clicks
Cypress Semiconductor has decided to shut down Round Rock based Fab 2 , the facility where it has produced semiconductors for more than 22 years. The shut down will result in the loss of more than 200 jobs... The company informed the Workforce Commission that it will close the plant in four stages, eliminating 211 engineering, administrative and operator jobs. In the first stage, the company...
McBlogger - Wed 7:53 p.m. - 9 clicks
On Sept 10, 2008, the state of Texas is scheduled to execute Charles Dean Hood despite the fact that his trial judge and the DA who prosecuted him were having an affair at the time of Hood's trial. Click here to urge Governor Perry to stop the execution of Charles Hood . Hood's lawyers say: Today, a letter from 22 former federal and state judges and prosecutors (pdf) from Texas and across the...
Texas Moratorium Network - Wed 7:26 p.m. - 7 clicks
One of the artists from our art exhibit " Justice for All: Artists Reflect on the Death Penalty " is having a major exhibit at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum in Austin. The exhibit is an overview of 45 years of work by sculptor Ben Woitena. It runs September 12, 2008 through January 4, 2009. There will be an artist's talk with Ben Woitena on September 12 from 6 - 6:30pm and an opening ni...
Texas Moratorium Network - Wed 7:26 p.m. - 8 clicks
The Republicans have been consistently wrong on health care and have paid a price for it at the polls. As premiums have dramatically increased, service and care has decreased. Tort reform has not made physician's lives easier, they've instead made insurance companies richer. In short, everything that the Republicans told you about bringing affordable health care was... wait for it... a LIE. Am...
McBlogger - Wed 5:33 p.m. - 4 clicks
{X-Posted From Capitol Annex } The final address of an incumbent president to his party's national convention is supposed to be a moment of triumph--for the president and, indeed, for his home state. For President George W. Bush and the state of Texas, however, his final GOP convention speech as a candidate or President was more of an anti-climax than a triumph--and that's not just because it w...
Burnt Orange Report - Wed 4:04 p.m. - 9 clicks
Over the last few days, I've had a number of conversations surrounding John McCain because of his Vice Presidential pick. Among them, has been a serious concern about the importance of his VP pick due to greater than average expectation that John McCain may just keel over and die in office, making his choice of VP more important than usual. Well, sure enough, there is some evidence to back...
Burnt Orange Report - Wed 4:04 p.m. - 10 clicks
House Democratic Campaign Committee -- www.texashdcc.com The House Democratic Campaign Committee (HDCC) launched a new, sleeker website today that highlights the group's mission -- winning back 5 seats in the Texas House and working to "elect and re-elect strong Democrats" to the Texas House of Representatives. On their site are also also two videos -- presumably internet videos, for now ...
Burnt Orange Report - Wed 4:04 p.m. - 8 clicks
Sherrie Matula is running a great campaign in House District 129. Her grit and determination have put her on a lot of people's list of races to watch. Maybe that's why TexBlog PAC endorsed her. Now Annie's list has joined Matula's growing list of endorsements. We have been watching Sherrie's race closely this year and she has earned her way onto the list with old fashioned hard wo...
Burnt Orange Report - Wed 4:04 p.m. - 8 clicks
From the Statesman article, "More than 100 Texas school districts to ask voters to increase taxes" State Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, said the 2006 deal did little to fix school finance but has tied the hands of local districts to provide their own financing. It has been a "trifecta disaster," Eltife said, having disappointed business owners, taxpayers and school districts. This isn't ju...
Burnt Orange Report - Wed 4:04 p.m. - 7 clicks
It appears the Third Court of Appeals has voted along partisan lines to deny a rehearing of the case against James Ellis and John Colyandro. Details about the denial are contained in an article by the Houston Chronicle. It appears the reason for denial is that at the time of the incident the Texas law applied to cash and not checks based on definition of money laundering prior to 2005....
Burnt Orange Report - Wed 4:04 p.m. - 10 clicks
From the always stellar DMN blog, Trailblazers : Texas' senior senator, Kay Bailey Hutchison , was scheduled to speak at the Republican convention tonight, and she arrived in St. Paul last night in anticipation of that. But McCain campaign manager Rick Davis just ran through the updated program in a conference call with reporters, and she wasn't on it. Tonight is Palin's seco...
Burnt Orange Report - Wed 4:04 p.m. - 10 clicks
Here's another dramatic turn of events in the Charles Dean Hood case: Attorneys for Mr. Hood learned today that State District Judge Robert Dry has recused himself. Dry had earlier acknowledged he personally knew both the Collin County judge and prosecutor involved who allegedly carried on a romantic affair during Hood's capital murder trial, but before now he'd refused recusal. ( UPDATE : Her...
Grits for Breakfast - Wed 2:50 p.m. - 9 clicks
John McCain says he is a maverick. Yet instead of picking Joe Lieberman of Connecticut as his running mate, as he had wanted to do, he chose a candidate to satisfy the far right. Mr. McCain lacked the political courage to be his own man. Instead of a maverick, Senator McCain is a pack mule for the far right. You see him there above–Carrying the load… [...]...
TexasLiberal - Wed 12:31 p.m. - 4 clicks
Interested readers should see recommendations for the Texas Commission on Jail Standards submitted to the Sunset Commission from Matt Simpson at the ACLU of Texas, compiled in response to a survey of advocates. Key proposals include stricter evaluation of medical care provided at county jails and improving medical care and services for pregnant inmates. I agree with most of what Simpson has pro...
Grits for Breakfast - Wed 11:47 a.m. - 7 clicks
Will Texas prison guards get their 20% raise? Will the Youth Commission get permission to spend bond money on multiple small facilities, or only one big one? Will Texas continue to fund diversion programs or leave local probation departments to fend for themselves? As in all public policy matters, some of the most important questions about crime and punishment get answered not in court but during...
Grits for Breakfast - Wed 11:47 a.m. - 7 clicks
A U.S. judge has ruled that Mexican copper miner Grupo Mexico did not commit malicious fraud in 2003, but did harm creditors, when it transferred a valuable stake in a Peruvian miner from its now-bankrupt U.S. unit, Asarco. In a complex ruling, the judge said that the directors overseeing the transaction breached their fiduciary duty and knew that some of Asarco's creditors would be harmed as th...
South Texas Chisme - Wed 10:32 a.m. - 7 clicks
Republican U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of the Houston area and a 10-hour stream of supportive speakers rejected the GOP presidential ticket and its nearby national convention Tuesday with anti-war, anti-regulation, libertarian rhetoric. ... "The patriot would repeal the Patriot Act," Paul said of the homeland security act, backed by the Bush administration and most lawmakers, that allowed government wir...
South Texas Chisme - Wed 10:32 a.m. - 9 clicks
State Rep. Kino Flores, D-Palmview, will likely not be sanctioned for hiring an undocumented immigrant. In the wake of a violent slaying on Flores' ranch property north of Mission, local and Mexican law enforcement agencies are tracking a 24-year-old Honduran man who had been living and working there. But federal law enforcement agencies have expressed little interest in pursuing Flores for hiri...
South Texas Chisme - Wed 10:32 a.m. - 9 clicks
Austin is not alone in asking voters for a tax rate increase this fall. It joins more than 100 of the state's school districts whose officials say a tax rate increase is the only viable option to cover rising prices and to help their employees' paychecks keep pace with inflation. ...
South Texas Chisme - Wed 10:32 a.m. - 7 clicks
Nobody's surprised about that. When an Austin appeals court recently issued a ruling that appears to absolve former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay and two co-defendants of money laundering charges, it cited a law passed eight months after the original indictments in support of its ruling. So what are we to make of the fact that the law cited by the court was authored by one of the recipients of the allegedl...
South Texas Chisme - Wed 10:32 a.m. - 11 clicks
